The Specter's Wrath
by MissScaryKitty
Summary: She was terrified, everything about Silva terrified her, and she was not certain that she could handle his return from the grave on her own anymore. Not without help… not without Q. Despite their constant nagging at one another, they were as close to being friends as two employees at MI6 could get. Q/OC and wait for it... Silva/OC
1. China: 1997

AN: So we are starting with Silva's capture by the Chinese, unfortunately he wasn't alone on the mission. PS someone kindly pointed out to me that Silva's real name is Tiago Rodrigues so I'll be using that name in all of the flashback scenes. Such good fun!

China, 1997

Miri thrashed violently in her captor's hold, her feet loosing traction on the stone floor of the slim hallway. Angry animal noises escaped through her bared teeth, determined not to become a prisoner of the Chinese. She had heard stories, so many gruesome horror stories of captured agents who were starved and tortured to death and she would not become one of them.

"I'm sorry," She heard Tiago say over the angry shouts of the Chinese soldiers. If he was surprised over this monstrous betrayal, he didn't show it. They were pulling them in the opposite direction, further and further away from one another, and Tiago knew once she was out of his sight he'd never see her again. In fact, he knew that the likelihood he'd see anyone from MI6 again was slim enough to consider breaking the cap off his tooth and ending it all right there.

"I'm sorry my dear, this is my fault," he told her, in a hurried attempt to come clean. He didn't want to think about what they would do to her, how they would first shame her then mutilate her. He didn't want to think that she was being punished for his sins, his beautiful Miri. Why had he let her in, he berated himself. Mistakes, this mission was filled with so many mistakes.

She flung her hand out, reaching for him, to touch him one last time. "Tiago!" His name tore from her throat, revealing the terror and confusion after hearing his confession. She wanted to know more, she wanted to know why they had been thrown to the dogs and he wanted to tell her but there was no time. Her death would be cruel and seemingly senseless, her life ending in a torrent of pain and misery.

Freeing an arm, he reached out, only able to grab two of her fingers before they slipped from his hand. Then the butt of a rifle smacked down on the back of his head and all he could think was perhaps M would reconsider. She had turned her back on him, he had been betrayed, but it wasn't too late. Perhaps he could even forgive her. But absolution never came and Tiago was left to rot in China.

AN: Okay so hopefully you have guessed this is not the last we see of Miri (short for Miranda) and obviously not the last we see of Silva. Luckily the people to come in are Bond and Q :) yay always a party with them. please review and let me know what you think! Thanks :)


	2. Pull Back the Curtain

AN: thank you all for your wonderful reviews and support! I wasn't sure anyone would be interested in a Silva/OC story but (happily) I was wrong. I really hope you enjoy reading, I have a ton written out and I'm very excited to see this story go places! Anyways, here's Chapter 2!

**Pull Back the Curtain **

Miri remembered being pulled down the narrow hallway, screaming and fighting until her muscles felt ripped from her bones and her throat was raw from screaming. She remembered how they had bound her hands and thrown a black bag over her head. How the soldiers jammed the barrels of their guns into her back, riddling her skin with round bruises as they hauled her through the stone caverns.

After a seemingly endless march, she heard the rusty squeal of a metal door being opened. Miri froze in fear, knowing that this was it. Once that door closed behind her, there was no escaping. One thing was certain, she was resolved to fight them the whole way.

Before she could start yelling again, they dragged her through the door where she felt a burst of cold winter air. She was outside, but only for a brief moment as they threw her into the side door of what she supposed was a van. The second the sliding door slammed closed the bag was rudely ripped from her head revealing a car full of familiar faces intently staring at her.

"What?" she breathed in shock, completely taken aback by the three MI6 operatives in front of her. One of the agents, a blonde man, reached out to her and Miri pushed herself flat against the seat she had been forced into, not wanting him anywhere near her. "What the hell is going on? Where's Tiago?" She demanded, slapping another offered hand away from her.

"He's gone. You're with MI6 now, we're taking you home…" This was all that she caught of what the blond agent was telling her. She was safe, that much she gathered on her own, now she wanted to know just one other thing…

"Tiago's gone? What do you mean he's gone?" She asked, pushing her disheveled hair out of her face in an attempt to get a grip on herself.

The three men looked at one another in a brief moment of uncertainty until one, a man with a long, thin face, answered, "He's been traded over to the Chinese, the order came from the top."

"Traded for what?" Miri demanded, unable to believe what she was being told. Tiago was MI6's best 00, they wouldn't just throw him away for the hopes of some measly intelligence tidbits from the Chinese. The notion was simply insane. There must have been something more to the story.

"He was offered to the Chinese in exchange for six other agents. Tiago was found out to be a traitor Miranda, M had to turn him in."

Miri's heart rate skyrocketed, her vision blurring from the prior overdose of adrenaline and the shock from learning this news. "What?" she asked, nearly choking on her words. She had to grip onto the edge of the car door to steady herself.

The agent who had been talking to her pursed his lips at her reaction, knowing she was about to crack from the stress of it all. "I think it's best not to say anything else until your debriefing," he told her in an attempt to calm the situation. He had already heard through his earpiece that she did quite a number on the guards back at the base and they didn't need any more unneeded injuries.

Miri fought them anyway, insisting that they were wrong and that they had to go back. She had to believe that there was some mistake… she had to. Otherwise Tiago had played her for a fool. She did not know what was worse, that or losing him.

AN: Please review as always! UP NEXT: The Mission. A flashback to the week prior to Silva's arrest. Also it's where the M rating comes into play ;)


	3. The Mission Part I

AN: Hey guys! Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews! I've tried to make the chapters a little longer as was so awesomely requested. Also I've broken this chapter in half.

**The Mission 1997:**

Francis Armand, a weapons designer who had set up shop in North Korea, had been on MI6's radar for some time now. He was a genius who made a fortune off of selling his prototypes to the governments in the West. However, he did not have much discretion when it came to selling his ideas to the highest bidder be it terrorists, gorilla armies, or militant extremists.

MI6 decided to take action against Armand's illegal dealings when intelligence was shared with them by the Jordanian government of plans for an unmanned, missile carrying, aircraft, or drone, was found. The intended recipients of such a prototype was a terrorist organization called The Brotherhood, an entity well feared throughout the Middle East. The agent who had uncovered it was killed and gruesome photographs of the mutilated body were sent to the head of the Jordanian Intelligence as a warning.

Two days after the plans for Armand's lethal drone was discovered, M called Miri into her office.

Waking into the brightly lit room, Miri waited for M's assistant to close the door before she spoke.

"Ma'am," she greeted, once she thought their conversation was secure.

"Ms. Knight, please have a seat," said M, motioning to the black leather chairs in front of her desk. Once Miri sat down, she continued. "I would like to discuss the situation regarding Francis Armand. As you know, a Jordanian Intelligence agent in North Korea uncovered plans for a lethal unmanned aircraft which Armand intends to sell to The Brotherhood. Tiago Rodriguez is going to head the mission to retrieve the plans from Armand's computer and to discover the whereabouts of a possible prototype. Armand is a suspicious man having dealt with nearly every superpower on earth he has become paranoid about security breeches." M flipped open a folder and turned it in Miri's direction so she could see a picture of Francis Armand stepping out of a black Maserati. He was a large, round man with well-groomed facial hair. "His firewalls and personal security systems are practically impenetrable. Being that he is constantly on watch, we're looking for someone who will be able to divert Armand's attention long enough for our 00 to recover the plans from his hard drive. I want to know if you think you'll be up to such a task."

"Of course, ma'am," Miri replied without hesitation.

"I am asking you to distract him by any means necessary, Ms. Knight. Is that understood?" M asked, pinning Miri to her chair with her sharp blue eyes.

Knowing that could mean only one thing, Miri nodded with unwavering stoicism, despite what she might have felt on the matter. "Perfectly, ma'am," she replied.

"Very well," M said, closing up the file of Armand and giving it to Miri. "Know this bio front and back by the end of the day. You leave tonight for Pyongyan where you'll meet up with Tiago Rodriguez at the Grand Hotel. Armand is hosting party the next day at his villa, during which time you and Mr. Rodriguez will retrieve the plans for the drone."

Miri took the folder M gave her and went to work on studying it. She spent the rest of the day packing and learning Francis Armand and his weapons company inside on out. She knew M had confidence in her, she wouldn't have given her this assignment if she didn't, still she wondered if she could pull off something so opposite to her nature.

Miri took a taxi from the airport to The Grand. It took a little under an hour to get into the city and once she reached the white, Neoclassical facade of the luxurious Grand, she had seen everything from destitute tarp-covered slums to ambitious modern marvels.

Once she was out of the taxi she walked into the hotel, stretching her legs from her long journey before approaching the front desk. A small, slender man was there to serve her in a matter of moments.

"Hello, has Mr. Garza checked in yet?" she asked, pushing up her stylish horn-rimmed glasses that fit her cover perfectly.

"Indeed, he has, miss. He's been expecting you. Are you his PA?" Miri smiled, offering the man her credit card. "Yes, I just flew in today."

The mans fingers dashed across the keyboard in front of him all the while explaining the hotel's many ammonites then looked up at her after a minute. "Wonderful, you're all checked in and if you leave your bags here we will have them brought up to your room. Mr. Graza is having lunch in the bar, he told me to send you over once you've arrived."

"Perfect," she replied, slipping her purse on her shoulder and heading into the lounge.

The bar was desiged in a naturalistic style with amber lighting and varying colored woods that we're shaped to give the room a curvy, sensual look. Miri briefly took in the atmosphere of the bar, her kitten heels clicking in a confident beat as she walked.

Entering the main lounge, she spotted Tiago almost immediately. His blonde hair and hard, masculine features were not hard to miss. He had on a tailored black leather jacket over a dark purple button-up shirt and looked quite at home with a shot of tequila a lime in front of him.

Miri didn't know how to react to a 00 drinking on the job so she pushed it to the back of her mind as she stopped in front of his table.

"Mr. Rodriguez I presume," she said, resting her hands stiffly on the back of the chair in front of her, making her look nothing short of an interrogator.

Tiago looked up at the serious young woman and grinned. Taking in her reserved manner he surmised that she was clearly new to the game.

"Take a seat," he said, smoothly pushing out the chair next to her with his foot. Miri gave it a distasteful little glance before deciding to sit down.

"I am Miranda Knight," she introduced herself with as much cold professionalism as she could muster.

"Of course you are," he said with a grin. This woman was quite amusing to him. She had 'operative' practically stamped on her forehead. He couldn't imagine why M sent him such a little ice queen. Perhaps she thought he needed someone to straighten him out a bit. Regardless, he couldn't imagine this woman convincingly seducing anyone let alone a psychopathic weapons designer.

"Alright," she muttered, trying not to let the man across from her ruffle her feathers. "Now that introductions are out of the way I must ask you, what is our plan?"

Tiago crossed his leg over his knee to get more comfortable, his dark eyes gazing down thoughtfully at the perspiration on his glass.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked, completely ignoring her question.

"I don't think that's wise, Mr. Rodriguez," she replied a bit shortly, wondering if all this was just a game to him.

"Call me Tiago, please," he insisted, his eerily calm nature confusing her. "Would I be overstepping my bounds if I called you Miri?" he asked, already knowing it would get a rise out of her.

"You read my file?" she asked, somewhat shocked that he'd know her childhood nickname.

Tiago grinned briefly before taking a sip of his drink. "I may have skimmed it," he admitted.

"Those a secure documents, Mr. Rodriguez," she all but hissed, trying not to raise her voice. "No one can hack that security system."

He laughed at that, replying, "I did. And it's Tiago, my dear."

"Even if you did, you shouldn't have," she retorted sharply.

"I could have done worse," he shrugged, sounding as if he's had done so in the past. "I was simply brushing up on a few things before tomorrow."

"And are you sufficiently prepared, Tiago?" she asked, putting extra emphasis on his name.

Tiago noted her new feistiness with pleasure. She was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

"Indeed, I am prepared," he said calmly. "But I'm wondering if you're prepared as well."

"I am," she confirmed. "why wouldn't I be?"

"I will be honest, I was surprised M chose you," he said with a smile.

"Why is that?" she asked, her annoyance thinly veiled. She was in no mood to hear petty critiques from this smooth-talking, arrogant man about how she was too independent or too demanding.

"You are not the seductress type," he said simply. "Despite the fact that you have a pretty face, a sexy body..." Miri's jaw nearly dropped at the infuriating thought of him checking her out as she came in "... No man is going to believe someone so frigid is interested in sleeping with them."

She glared at him dangerously then. Her next words came out with a incredibly controlled anger, "Believe me, when the time comes, I could get even you on your back if I wanted. It wouldn't take much convincing, in the end, you men are all the same."

"Are we?" he asked in amusement.

"Besides, even if I did live up to your standards of a seductive woman, do you really think I take pleasure in any part of this role I have to play?" She asked, her lips pursed in an indignant manner.

"Seeing the pictures of Mr. Armand, I think we can all agree you will not be enjoying yourself," he joked, more to himself than to her. His dark eyes met hers then as he continued, "On the other hand, judging by what I read on your file, you may be making a very calculated career move."

Miri knew he was making reference to the fact that she was very close to achieving 00 status. The idea that she would use this mission for personal gain irked her beyond imagining but she tried to remain as cool as possible.

"Right, because being a 00 is so glamorous, with a shelf life of about ten years providing that you happen to survive that long. Doesn't sound like a smart career move to me, Mr. Rodriguez"

"Then why are you choosing it?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Because I'm compelled to," she replied. Tiago wasn't expecting such a simple answer, nor did he think it would be as eloquent as it was. "Now, if we are not going to discuss the mission, you must excuse me, I'm going to go see to my room."

Picking up her purse, Miri pushed herself out of her chair and straightened out her skirt, "Good night, Mr. Rodriguez."

Tiago nodded, taking another sip of his drink as he watched her leave, "Miri."

AN: Please Review! :D Also I am sorry I didn't get to the M rated stuff yet! I promise it's coming, I just had so many ideas i couldn't put them all in one chapter. and I'd rather update more regularly.


	4. The Mission Part II

**Preparing:**

The next evening came quicker than Miri anticipated. She had spent her entire day avoiding Tiago as much as possible by playing tourist in the city. When it came time to get dressed for the party, she returned to the hotel and checked in with him to see if everything was running smoothly. Their rooms were located next to each other's and they kept the adjoining doors open in order to go over their plans while they got ready.

Miri paced around the room with her makeup mirror as she skillfully applied her eyeliner. She just began to go over the floor plan of Armand's villa when she happened to glance over into Tiago's room and catch sight of him removing his shirt. Spinning around immediately, her cheeks reddened in embarrassment as she continued to speak. Though she could not deny that his tanned skin and toned muscles were quite impressive, even to her.

However, it wasn't Tiago's physique that caught Miri's attention but the large scars that riddled his body. Each one was a tribute to his time in the field, of mistakes, successes and sacrifices. She wanted to know if he was simply reckless or if this was the price all double-oh's had to pay. What little she knew of the man, she found superficial, and yet the more she discovered, the more she realized she didn't really know anything about him at all. He was a riddle, despite his seeming openness. Perhaps that was the reason why Miri found herself continually stealing glances into his room. Yet, she begrudgingly admitted that there was only so much she could blame on curiosity.

Miri grabbed up her garment bag that she had hung up in the closet and headed to the spacious bathroom to change. Tiago watched her close the door behind her, his fingers fast at work on his tie. Once she stepped out of the bathroom, he looked over to see her framed by the soft lighting in the doorway, her little evening bag clutched in her hand. Miri's red, heart-shaped lips stood out against her incredibly white skin, the black lace gown she wore revealed more of her than Tiago thought he'd ever see of the leggy operative. She finally lifted her disdainful gaze to meet his and all Tiago could think was that she was undeniably stunning when she was angry.

"Are you ready, my dear?" he asked, refraining from telling her how beautiful he thought she looked, knowing she would only take his compliment as mockery.

As she walked over to him, he observed the elegant line of her body, the gracefulness of her movements despite the obvious air of solemnity that hug over her like a shroud.

She was the sacrificial lamb, no longer the hunter but the hunted. Tiago felt a twinge of sympathy for the poor girl. She may have been a stiff-ass but no woman deserved the likes of Francis Armand. He only hoped for her sake that her bite was as nasty as her bark.

"Our car is waiting for us," he told her, holding open the hotel room door so she could step through into the hall.

Miri cast him a sarcastic glance as she passed him, "Riveting."

Tiago couldn't hide a delighted, close-lipped grin as he shut the door behind him. It was nice to see that despite her present position she hadn't lost her spark, he thought as they made their way to the elevator bank.

Tiago wanted to reassure her that she would be all right, to tell her he'd work fast and that perhaps he could be finished before things became too serious with Armand. But he knew he couldn't do that, he couldn't make such promises. So instead he reached into his pocket and handed her a mini ear mike.

"Wear this and I will update you regularly on my progress," he told her as they waited for the elevator. "Once I am finished, so are you. You must get out as soon as possible. We leave the party together."

Miri looked into his eyes as she slipped the little bud into her ear. Whether she knew he was doing her a kindness or not, he couldn't tell. But her stormy gray hues, so glassy and vivid, made him want to protect her- to make sure their light wouldn't be snuffed out. He never experienced such a desire before and this made him not quite as certain of himself as he usually was. He knew there was a chance that things could go sideways on him tonight and that he could lose her. For some reason, it was important to him that Miri lived- that she survived to exchange witticisms with him again, to fix her fiery gaze on his and critique him on his unprofessional conduct. This thought startled him and at the same time, it fueled his determination to see the mission through.

When Miri finished concealing the mike beneath her hair, she spoke a quiet 'thank you' to him and entered the elevator. When the gold doors closed, he fixed his Armani tie in his reflection and felt his attitude harden again. He was a double-oh once more, his feelings pushed in the periphery of his mind if only to see the job done correctly.

Once the two agents reached the front of the hotel, a valet drove up in a white Lamborghini and handed the keys to Tiago. Miri looked at the car in surprise then cast him a questioning glance.

"You can't refuse me a little fun, my dear," he said, opening the door for her.

"You don't see me complaining do you?" Miri replied with a little smirk before getting in. Tiago laughed, amused that he had finally found something she enjoyed. He wasn't about to let this momentous occasion go to waste. As he slipped into the driver's seat he peeled out of the hotel driveway, speeding off into the city.

**AN: Hey guys! thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews and encouragement! I'm trying my best to crank out chapters as quickly as possible, unfortunately I have been a little under the weather lately and so I've resorted to sending chapters of quality instead of quantity. I want to flesh-out relationship between Tiago and Miranda first before diving into the M rated stuff or moving onto the film timeline. I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far and continue to read my work.**


	5. Wounded

**Wounded:**

As they drove through the gates of Armand's villa Miri noticed the large number of security cameras set up around the perimeter of the property. The place was a fortress, despite its otherwise warm appearance. The villa itself was largely inspired by Thai architecture and was grandly lit with torches and floor lanterns. It was a brave undertaking considering the intricately carved wooden eaves and pillars that embellished it. One spark would cause the place to go up in smoke.

Once they reached the front of the house, Tiago held the car door open for Miri who looked completely out of her element.

"My dear, try not to look like such a victim," he murmured as he offered her his arm.

Despite thinking that the gesture was somewhat old-fashioned, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, inwardly thankful for the support it gave her. She had to keep reminding herself that she was not in this alone and that so much of their potential success rested on the other doing their job.

"Maybe Armand likes victims," she replied, as they made their way up the steps into a softly lit courtyard full of guests. "He's a cruel bastard from what I've read."

"Aren't they all?" Tiago replied, knowing of Armand's affinity for torturing his enemies. The fate of the Jordanian operative was unsurprising given the arms dealer's violent character.

Miri grabbed up a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and scoped out the party as she and Tiago pretended to have an engaging conversation about the villa's smart décor. Somewhere between debating whether or not the woodcarvings were imported, Miri spotted Armand inside the house where he was entertaining a group of men, Americans by the looks of them. More than likely he was conducting business. Tiago noted this but continued talking to give them both time to establish themselves as guests before going to work. Once Armand made his way outside to rejoin the main party, Tiago took this as his sign to go.

"It hurts me to leave you, my dear, but I must attend to business," he explained, patting the hand she still had looped in the crook of his arm.

"Such a shame," she replied with a fake congenial smile as she pulled away from him, masking her sarcasm from the party guests. "Think of it this way, the quicker you're finished, the quicker I can put that man's sorry ass down."

Tiago followed her gaze which was fixed on Armand, knowing that she would have liked nothing better than to knock him out cold right there.

"I'll be as brief as possible then. But I'm afraid you are the one who must get the ball rolling," he reminded her, looking over at Armand who was busy talking to one of his body guards who was watching the door to the inside of the villa.

"All good things come to those who wait, Mr. Rodriguez," she quipped, putting down her flute of champagne, having not taken a single sip. "I'm not going to do anything without somewhat of a planned approach. We only have one chance to get this right and I'm not going to blow it by making a fool of myself."

Tiago grinned suddenly, a devious idea popping into his head. He knew she was going to hate it, but he couldn't resist the temptation it presented. Without a word, he stepped closer to her until his body was only inches away from being pressed against her back. He could feel the tantalizing warmth radiating off of her exposed skin making him want to stroke the soft flesh. Miri was so distracted by her own thoughts she hadn't paid him any mind. Yet, behind her, Tiago was having a moment all his own.

"You really do look beautiful tonight," he purred in her ear, the deep timbre of his voice causing warm chills to dance down her spine.

She turned around to face him, surprised by his sudden closeness, but before she could ask him what he meant, Tiago pulled her into his arms and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. It wasn't until then that he realized he'd wanted this since their first meeting at the hotel bar. He savored the taste of her while he could, relishing the feel of this feisty ice queen in his arms.

Once she managed to push him off of her, as she inevitably would, she smacked him hard across the face. "What is the matter with you!" she hissed, staring daggers at him. All thoughts of Armand flew out of her head and all she could think about was Tiago's infuriating audacity.

A wide smile spread across his face as he leaned in to her and said, "Don't be angry with me, Miri. As you can see, you have gotten Armand's attention now."

_And that of the whole room_, she thought, feeling all eyes drawn to them.

With that, the blond double-oh took his leave, quite pleased with himself. He knew that Miri would be able to handle herself from there on out. She just needed a push in the right direction. He pressed his lips together, remembering the feel of her as he headed out of the party.

Shocked by what Tiago had dared to do, Miri took a long, hard drink from her glass of champagne. Her lips were still burning from his kiss, her heart racing from the unexpected experience. She wondered what had possessed him to do such a thing, knowing that it could have very well blown their cover or have gotten them kicked out of the party at the very least. The last thing that they needed was to draw attention to themselves.

"Are you alright?" She heard a man's voice ask from behind her. Turning around she found herself face to face with Francis Armand who must have come over for the purposes of damage control.

"Yes, I'm fine," she breathed, letting out a light laugh and pushing a stand of hair behind her ear. She knew that it was imperative to impress him in these next few moments. "My boss doesn't understand the meaning of the word 'no'," she said casting a disdainful glance in the direction that Tiago disappeared.

"From the looks of it, I think he also doesn't know how to treat a woman with common courtesy. Allow me to get you a drink?" He asked, motioning towards the outdoor bar.

Miri smiled, blushing demurely as she met his gaze. "That would be lovely. I believe he took the car back to the hotel so I have all the time in the world."

Armand grinned in satisfaction at his apparent luck. "Let's see if I can't fill it," he replied, making Miri want to roll her eyes. It was just as she told Tiago in the lounge, men were all the same.

After a couple of drinks, which Miri had been very diligent in monitoring herself on, Armand asked her if she would like to see his private gun collection. Miri accepted knowing that although the man was a connoisseur of old fashioned guns, the private tour would most likely end up in a visit to the bedroom. Which was where Miri planned on rendering him unconscious for the duration of the mission. The whole time up until that point however, was going to be hell. The man had already begun placing his hand on her knee or stroking her arm, all of which Miri pretended she enjoyed.

Tiago had been giving her regular updates of his progress though the earpiece he'd given her so that she could time her approach just right. He had gotten to Armand's computer quicker than she had thought he would and he had already gone to work on breaking through the firewalls. He would listen into her conversation with Armand and make smart comments or lend her his personal opinion.

When Miri finally found a private moment, she quietly hissed, "I'm I on this date or you?"

Tiago laughed and shaking his head he replied, "I'm sorry, you're doing a marvelous job."

Once her tour was over, Armand led her through the house to where she supposed was his bedroom. Her breathing became shallower then, knowing her moment was coming up. All she had to do was get him beyond all the cameras and take him out. It was a simple enough task but it still got her heart beating faster.

"You're home security system is quite impressive," she said, motioning to the cameras at the end of the hall, hoping to fill the sudden silence.

Armand slowed his pace then, allowing Miri to get a few feet ahead of him as they walked through the hall. "You'll find that I have eyes everywhere, sweetheart. Even in your British Intelligence."

Miri's heart dropped and in that moment, a wire cord was slung around her neck and pulled taught as she was yanked against the stone hard chest of Armand's bodyguard who was waiting for her behind a pillar. They knew she was sent by MI6 and more than likely had been expecting her this whole time.

"Miri, talk to me!" She heard Tiago yell through her earpiece, having heard everything. Miri tried to respond but couldn't get enough air to speak.

Someone from the inside must have leaked information about the mission. Now Miri was under attack and Tiago's fears were being realized.

"Get the files and run," Miri finally managed to choke out, quickly losing consciousness. Stars filled her vision, growing wider with the lack of oxygen to her brain, submersing her in blackness. She heard Tiago yell something into her ear mike as she clawed at her assailant, unable to reach anything vital. She couldn't understand what he had said, but she only hoped that they would not catch him. He had to finish the mission.

Little did she know, Tiago geared all his efforts into finishing hacking Armand's computer so he could get to her in time. His fingers flew expertly across the loud keyboard as he passed through the last firewall. His heart rate rose and his muscles tensed, wanting to go to her then but knowing her couldn't, not without obtaining the material for the drone.

Miri began hammering her sharp elbow into the man's gut and as a result the cord around Miri's neck went slack, allowing her to gasp in a breath of air as she doubled over. Before she could do anything more, she was knocked unconscious by Armand who had hit her over the head with his gun. He wanted her alive, Miri had been right in assuming that he enjoyed entertaining victims.

When Miri woke, the first thing that hit her was her splitting headache from where she had been knocked out. She attempted to raise her hands to grab onto her head and found that her wrists had been handcuffed to the chair she was sitting in.

"How desperate is MI6 nowadays that they think they can send a woman to pull secrets from me during pillow talk?" She heard Armand speak somewhere within the room. Everything seemed fuzzy to her at the moment, as if she were underwater.

"How do you know I wasn't sent here to kill you?" She retorted, flipping her messy hair out of her face. Her eyes adjusted and she observed her surroundings. She was in what looked like one of the guest bedrooms, most likely the best solution for not having an interrogation room or basement on hand. Armand stood in front of her and a large bodyguard, the one who had attacked her in the hall, was standing by the closed door with a chainsaw in his hand.

"Even if you are an assassin, I hardly think that matters now. I wonder, would you have enjoyed seducing me?" He asked, roughly grabbing her chin and sleazily running his thumb across her lower lip. Miri tried to bite him but he pulled away just in time. "I guess we have our answer," He laughed, looking over to his bodyguard who merely nodded like a loyal dog. After getting in his laugh, he then turned back to Miri. "Do you know what I like to do to problems like you? My method has been altered and perfected over the years… you see, I want to make sure there's nothing left behind to identify the body."

Miri then pulled at the handcuffs binding her to the chair, trying to break the wooden back, but the solid oak would not budge. Her head was still splitting and she knew she had to get a grip.

Armand simply smiled at her mockingly and continued his explanation. "You see, if you have a chainsaw on hand, like the one Markus is holding right now, hacking the body apart is easy. The hard part comes after. You see we melt the limbs and head in a bathtub using acid. Such a shame too..." he commented, stroking her face before harshly smacking her across the cheek. Miri said nothing, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing her pain. "So all those little bits of you eroding away is going to make an ungodly mess and it will ruin my bathtub, an idea which I am not fond of. But I find everything up until that point quite enjoyable."

With a snap of Armand's fingers, Markus revved the chainsaw to life and handed it over to him. Miri stiffened in fear, then immediately began fighting against her bonds, the metal cutting into her wrists.

"I think we shall start with your arm," Armand shouted over the noise of the motor.

Markus then grabbed hold of her elbow pulled her arm taught for cutting. Realizing there was nothing she could do to escape, Miri pressed herself firmly against the back of the chair.

Armand stepped forward, the vicious instrument raised in his hands, and Miri braced herself for what was to come next. She had done her duty, for what it was worth, and told Tiago to leave, to get the files to M in Hong Kong. The last thing was to see this mission ended with as much dignity as she could muster.

"I must say, for a 00, you are quite disappointing," Armand taunted.

Miri raised her eyes to meet his and in her periphery saw the door behind him slowly open, a familiar figure stepping through. A wave of shock washed over her. Her eyes suddenly hardened with a new bravery and determination, "That's because I'm not the 00... he is."

Armand followed the line of her gaze, turning around to see Tiago who was aiming the barrel of a Walther PPK in his face. Markus made a move for the firearm in his suit jacket and Tiago shot him dead without so much as a blink of an eye.

"You move an inch and this next one is for you," he warned Armand, looking as if he could burn him to ash with his gaze. "And put that down," he said, sounding almost irritated as he motioned to the chainsaw in Armand's hands. The weapons designer did as he asked, not daring to deviate from his instructions.

Tiago's hands were steady, his stance strong, but the look in his eyes was one of a man just on the edge of losing control. Miri had never seen him like this before. The laid-back agent with the overly blasé attitude was gone. Now this dark entity, stood before them, a killer of the finest caliber without care or remorse.

Realizing he was completely exposed and vulnerable, Armand began to speak very quickly. "My sources never said there'd be two of you," He said, trying to maintain control of the situation he now found himself in. "Don't worry, this is no problem. I'm sure we can settle this another way. Just tell me what I can do for your government or even just for you and I'll make it happen."

Tiago pretended as if he were considering the man's offer for a moment, dangling him on a string- his mood suddenly taking a sadistic turn.

"Apologize to her," he told him, looking over the man's shoulder at Miri.

Armand gave him an odd, questioning look, which Tiago did not appreciate.

"Do it," he demanded, pressing the barrel of his gun into the man's forehead.

"Of course. I'm sorry, these things aren't personal, it's just business. I'm a business man," He explained, his hands held in the air like a fool. "Anything else?"

"No. There is nothing else you can give that I haven't already taken, except for one last thing," Tiago then put a bullet in Amand's skull. He didn't even watch him drop to the ground before putting his gun away.

Miri looked up at him from her seated position in the chair, unsure of what she should say if anything. The pure trauma of the evening was enough to render her speechless.

Tiago rounded the chair to unbind her hands and found that her wrists were bleeding, no doubt from her previous struggles. He thought of the terror she must have felt, the shock and fear that still clung to her even after the ordeal. He gently squeezed her arm in a gesture of sympathy, his hand resting on her trembling flesh for a brief moment before going to work on the handcuffs holding her wrists.

Once she was free, Miri stood up, her legs trembling slightly beneath her weight. She looked back at him, uncertain of what to say. Tiago saw the helpless look in her eyes, thinly covered by her bravery.

"Come," he said, placing a guiding hand on her back and leading her out of the room.

When they passed the threshold Miri found her words, "Were you able to get the plans?"

Tiago couldn't help but grin at her ever present concern for the mission. "Yes, I did," he told her.

Miri nodded, "Good. I suppose we go home, then?" she clearly wasn't hopeful about this prospect, still Tiago regretted having to tell her that they weren't finished.

"He has already built a prototype. We must locate and destroy it."

"Finally, something I'm good at," Miri laughed wryly.

The two exited the party, looking like the couple they entered as and Tiago drove them back to the hotel. Their journey was made in contemplative silence, both of them thinking about the other and the events of the evening.

**AN: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and get well wishes. I'm finally pulling myself out of the worst of it so the show shall go on! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter... there was some kissing in it :) yay. I'll have the next one up asap. Please remember to review! I live for your reviews (otherwise I feel like I'm the only one who has the hots for Silva which makes me feel awkward because I know I'm not crazy in thinking so).**


	6. Something I'm Good At

**Something I'm Good At:**

Miri gazed out the car window at the lights of the city storefronts as they sped by. She had not said a word to Tiago even though she had mainly gotten over her shock. Now she was contemplating MI6's supposed leak and the surprising turn of events at Armand's villa. Running her hand over the black lace of her skirt, she wondered how on earth things had gone so wrong.

Seduction, she thought bitterly. Tiago had been right all along, she was no temptress and certainly no great actress. Infiltration, combat and threat neutralization was what she was good at, not acting sexy or being someone's arm candy. But now she realized that was all a part of the game.

Her thoughts then turned to the possibility of there being a double agent within MI6. Whoever they were, they knew she was going to be at the party so they had to have had high-level security clearance. Either they were someone close to M or a bureaucrat. Why they did not inform Armand about Tiago being assigned to the mission was still a mystery. Regardless, M had to be informed immediately so they could start closing in on the leak. The unfortunate part of all this was she and Tiago were going to have to continue the mission, knowing that the enemy might always be one step ahead of them.

Once they reached the hotel, Tiago parked in the valet lane and got out to open the door for Miri.

As she got out of the car she grabbed her wrists, trying to hide her bloody cuts as she and Tiago walked through the hotel lobby. The friendly concierge was helping a man retrieve a message that was left for him at the front desk but took the time to nod to the both of them as they passed, asking how their evening was. Tiago, looked up from Miri who he was helping into the elevator bank and managed a fake grin.

"It was fine, thank you," he replied, not stopping in his pursuit to get Miri to her room before anyone noticed all the cuts and bruises on her.

In that moment, Miri happened to look up and spot something that made her slow her walk to a distracted crawl. Her gaze was fixed on guest at the concierge's desk, trying to get a better look at him.

"Wait," she told Tiago, squeezing his arm to make him stop walking. "I've seen that man before," she said under her breath, careful to make sure only he could hear her.

"What do you mean?" He asked, turning in front of her so that they could talk more privately.

"He wasn't at the party, but I've seen his face before," she said, speaking quietly and quickly, her mind racing to try and remember where she knew this man. Suddenly it hit her, "Andrew Shepard, he was in operative training with me at MI6. Armand said he had eyes in British Intelligence, this man could be working for the informant."

All things seemed to grind to a halt in that moment of realization as the man noticed her and Tiago standing in the lobby. His eyes made contact with Miri's and it took him only a split second to recognize her face. Shepard then reached behind him for his gun. Almost instantaneously, Miri shoved her hand inside of Tiago's dinner jacket and drew his Walther, firing several rounds at the man before he could get a shot off.

Chunks of marble were blown off of the front desk as Shepard dove behind one of the white couches for cover. Miri had managed to clip him in the arm but he was still very much able to return fire. Desperate for an exit, he began shooting his way out of the hotel. Miri and Tiago took cover in the elevator bank.

"Shoot to wound, we need him alive," Tiago told her, pressing the both of them flat against the doors of one of the elevators. Bullets hammered into the wall beside them, trapping them there as Shepard made his escape.

Once the firing stopped, the two agents began to pursue the attacker. Screams of the hotel guests echoed throughout the lobby adding to the panic. Miri and Tiago determinedly pushed their way through the crowd of people who were running for cover in the opposite direction.

She yelled for everyone to stand aside, her gun still drawn as they followed Shepard outside. Slamming the glass double doors open, they saw him jump into a silver BMW sports car and speed off into traffic. Seeing that they were going to have to chase him down, Tiago shouted for Miri to get into their Lamborghini, which was still parked in the valet lane.

"You drive, I'll shoot," Miri yelled, running to the passenger's side, her long skirt gathered up in one hand and Tiago's gun in the other.

"Are you sure?" Tiago asked rounding the car, wanting to make sure she wasn't too shaken from the previous events of the evening.

"Positive," Miri answered, her determined tone letting him know that this was non-negotiable. Getting into the car she grabbed a full 5 mm clip from the glove compartment and reloaded the Walther in one swift move. "As I told you earlier, we're finally getting to do something I'm good at."

Tiago didn't argue with her as he threw the car into drive and tore out of the hotel entrance and onto the main road. He knew that he had to do some swift maneuvering in order to get in range of the BMW so that Miri could take Shepard out.

Tiago chased him through the city streets, weaving through traffic and cutting in front of cars in order to try and catch up with the BMW. Coming up on a large intersection, Shepard blew through the red light, making a diagonal path across the intersection and speeding into oncoming traffic. Tiago brazenly followed him, not caring that he was now driving on the wrong side of the road. Cars swerved out of their path, honking their horns in confusion as the two vehicles sped past them. Miri leaned out the open window, attempting to get a clear shot of the man's tires. However, there were to many cars blocking the BMW, and Shepard's constant weaving made it impossible to line up a target.

"Damn," she cussed in frustration, pulling the gun back inside. "He keeps blocking me out. We're going to have to get right up behind him."

"Not a problem, my dear," Tiago said as he stepped harder on the gas and veered up onto the sidewalk in order to avoid the persistent onslaught of cars that came their way. Pedestrians and onlookers suddenly dove out of the way, watching in shock as the Lamborghini sped away.

Tiago was gaining on Shepard and once they were close enough, he tried to hold a steady course as Miri began to make her move.

Gripping onto the top of the doorframe, she began to pull herself out of the car window. The strong push and pull of the wind tugged at her hair and clothes as Tiago pulled back onto the road, weaving in between the oncoming cars. Miri hooked her legs on the inside of the door for support as she leaned out, nearly hanging on the side of the car, and aimed at the moving target ahead of her.

There was a moment in which Tiago pulled to the left, creating a clear shot for her. Seizing this narrow window of opportunity, Miri expertly took aim and shot out the two back tires of the BMW causing them to burst. Once she saw Shepard start to swerve out of control, Miri quickly pulled herself back inside the car.

"Grab hold of something," Tiago warned her as he drove right up alongside Shepard.

Without care or remorse for the beautiful car he was driving, Tiago slammed into the side of the BMW sending it into a violent spin before it hit the concrete median and flipped over. Tiago's arm shot out, pressing Miri into her seat, before he roughly slammed on the brakes to avoid the wreck.

Shepard's car ended up on the other side of the median underneath one of the many cherry trees that lined the boulevard. Soft pink petals from the shaken blossoms slowly rained down atop the wreckage, illuminated by the lights of the city before settling onto the soft grass and smoking metal below.

Now that they were at a full stop Miri looked over at Tiago to make sure he wasn't injured from the hit he took, then opened her car door and steeped out into the street. Not wasting one moment, she claimed over the median. Tiago kicked open the crunched door on his driver's side and followed behind her. The scene was eerily quiet as Miri approached the flipped vehicle, Tiago's gun held firmly in her hand.

Shepard, seriously injured and half conscious, was hanging upside-down, still strapped in by his seatbelt. He groaned quietly, a stream of blood dribbling from his lips as he weakly groped for his gun, which had fallen to the roof below him.

"Are you working alone?" Miri demanded, training the Walther on him. She was looking somewhat worse for wear as well.

Shepard didn't answer her- couldn't answer her because of the blood that was rapidly filling his lungs. His injuries were fatal. Lowering her gun in frustration, Miri could do nothing but watch as the man quickly expired.

Tiago came up behind her, his gaze moving from Shepard to Miri who was lightly shaking from too much adrenaline. Walking over to the body, he bent down and fished the letter the concierge had given him out of his pocket.

"We should leave," Miri said, knowing that the police would turn up soon.

Tiago nodded pocketing the letter and heading for the car. Miri joined him by his side, wordlessly handing him back his gun before climbing over the median again and getting into the smashed Lamborghini.

**AN: Thank you everyone for your fantastic reviews! I was a little concerned about writing a car chase scene hoping that it wouldn't be too hard to follow. But I really wanted to so here it is and I hope you all enjoyed it. I had the idea of Miri hanging out the window of a car like a boss and I couldn't resist making that image come to life. As always, please continue to review! Next chapter: Fix Us**

**PS: Why hasn't Silva gotten his own character listing on this site yet? I'm tired of waiting for it already!**


	7. Fix Us

**Fix Us:**

Tiago drove them through the city, keeping an eye out for a new hotel for them to stay the night in. MI6 was going to have to send some of their people to pick up their effects at The Grand. But for now they had to lay low after causing such a large stir.

After driving around for a while, he found a suitable looking Marriott in a touristy area of the city. They parked in a public garage several blocks away where they would have to leave the Lamborghini for good. When Tiago killed the engine, he pulled out Shepard's letter from his jacket pocket. The envelope was somewhat crumpled and lightly stained with the man's blood. MIri watched intently as he tore it open. Yet Tiago found only a stack of money inside and no doubt it was untraceable. There was no letter, no photographs, only a payment for tipping off Armand.

Tiago let out an audible sigh as he pushed the money back down into the envelope. "Well that was disappointing," he commented wryly, before returning it to his jacket pocket. "There couldn't have been more then fifteen thousand US in there. Shepard was just a middle man."

"Whoever he worked for may have others embedded in MI6 as well. There's no telling what the magnitude of his operation is. We're going to have to contact M immediately," Miri replied, knowing that this mission had become far larger than anyone could have expected.

Strong-arming the crumpled door open, Tiago stepped out of the car, followed by Miri. They walked through the garage in silence, the soft clicking from Miri's high heels as she walked across the brushed cement floor was the only noise either of them made. They had lost their only lead, despite their best efforts to bring him in alive, and they only had an envelope of money to show for it.

Before they exited the parking garage, Tiago happened to spot some blood on Miri's face.

"Wait," he said, reaching out and gently taking Miri's forearm in his large hand.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worried that something was amiss.

Tiago stepped closer to her and wiped the small amount of blood off of her cheekbone with his thumb. Miri looked away from him as he did this, feeling her skin grow hot as he touched her. He ran his finger over the spot one more time to make sure he had gotten all of it and felt the new warmth she now radiated.

Tiago marked her hesitation at his touch and recalled this same reaction to all his previous touches prior. It made him begin to wonder if her shyness did not have something to do with what he had read in her file. From what he could surmise, her mother had died in an IRA terrorist bombing when she was twelve and her father, unable to deal with his grief, had sent her off to boarding school shortly thereafter. It did not mention whether or not she maintained any contact with him when she went on to college, but all signs pointed to no. Tiago knew she must have felt betrayed by her father for what he had done. He had pushed her away at the time she needed him the most. He wondered of this was this what made her so cold, so driven, and so loyal to MI6.

Stepping away from Miri, Tiago examined her disheveled appearance in the fluorescent lighting of the parking garage. He could see the neglected child staring back at him, hard-faced and defiant towards life. She was a fighter, he knew that when he had first laid eyes on her, but he hadn't noticed how strong she really was until this moment.

He then took off his coat and gave it to her so she could cover up her cuts and bruises. Slipping it on, Miri was unsure if she should thank him or not knowing it was the only solution to making her look somewhat presentable. Still, she found comfort in the warmth it provided. His body heat still lingered on the fine lining and every now and then she smelled the faintest hint of his expensive aftershave. Once again, Tiago had invaded her personal space. However, being that it was just his jacket, she didn't mind so much.

In the dark, the two of them looked like a couple returning from the opera as they walked down the street towards the hotel. Suddenly a green neon sign across the street had caught Miri's eye.

"Tiago," she said, getting his attention and pointing over to the sign. It read, '24 Hour Internet Café'. "Do you think you can send an encrypted message to M from there?"

Tiago smirked, "Of course I can, my dear."

Entering the café, Tiago took a seat at one of the computers while Miri strategically placed herself in a position that hid the computer screen from the barista's view. Tiago clicked the mouse, making the Windows 95 screensaver disappear and began to open up several new windows. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he dove into the task.

Miri watched him in awe, barely believing the speed with which he worked. He clearly had a gift, she thought. Glancing over at the counter, she saw the barista begin to approach them.

"He's coming over here," she warned under her breath.

"No matter," Tiago replied, hitting the enter button. Suddenly, whatever he had done sent the message and shut down the computer. As the screen went black, he stood up and they walked out the door, the barista yelling something about buying a drink before using the computers.

They headed for the hotel then, knowing there was nothing more that could be done until the morning. Once they got inside, Miri waited for Tiago to get a room trying to be as discrete as possible.

When he came back with the room keys, they headed for the elevator. Miri pressed the call button, standing between Tiago and the black granite wall to hide herself from view. The last thing they needed was for someone to see the bruises around her neck and call the police.

The moment the golden doors parted, Miri slipped inside followed closely by Tiago. He watched her carefully, concerned that she had not said a word since they left the parking garage. Pressing their floor number, he waited for the doors to close before speaking.

"Are your wrists still bleeding?" He asked, making sure that her silence was not attributed to faintness from excessive blood loss.

"I don't believe so," Miri answered, pulling up the sleeves of his jacket a bit to look at her wounds. The blood was half dried around her wrists and what wasn't dry was beginning to clot. They would have to be cleaned and bandaged as soon as possible but there were no serious signs of danger.

Once the doors opened, they checked to see if the halls were clear and then made their way into one of their rooms, careful to make sure no one was coming. They were able to breathe easy once the door was closed behind them and some space was put between them and the outside world.

Miri walked down the short entryway and stood in the middle of the room, relieved to finally have a place of privacy. The room was decorated in a pallet of reds and blacks and tans, mirroring a more Japanese feel. Tiago left her side, telling her that he would be right back. He was going down to the sundry store in the lobby to pick up a few supplies.

Now alone, Miri slowly took in a breath of much needed air. She removed Tiago's coat and walked over to the desk where she draped it over the back of the tall chair. Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked out the floor to ceiling window and continued to breathe quietly and calmly. This had been an incredibly rough evening and she needed a moment alone to simply breathe and to be with herself.

Pyongyang stretched out before her, incredible skyscrapers reaching up out of blanket of modest buildings below, each one a tribute to modern engineering and innovation. This was a world racing towards an unknown future, backed by industry and the positive hopes of what the twenty-first century would bring.

Miri took comfort in the fact that the world still turned outside of this room. It would never know how many times people like Armand and Shepard have brought it to the brink of disaster. This was the way she preferred it- quiet and beyond anyone's knowledge. When Tiago reentered the bedroom, Miri stepped away from the window, her eyes drawn to his.

"Please take a seat," he asked her softly, motioning to the foot of the bed. She saw that he had a first aid kit in his hand. Miri quietly settled herself on the edge of the mattress, her tired eyes drawn to the plush carpet beneath her feet. Tiago opened up the first aid kit and set it on the bed next to her. Getting out the rubbing alcohol, he poured a bit of it on a washcloth. Kneeling down in front of her, he took her left hand in his and began to gently dab it on one of the long cuts that circled around her wrist. Miri didn't hiss at the pain, instead she watched Tiago as he tended her wounds, confused by his sudden gentleness.

The care with which he cleaned the blood from her skin surprised her and for a moment she thought she might have caught a glimpse of the man behind the gun. Suddenly, she felt the desperate need to take his face in her hands and look into his dark eyes, to see what more there was to him other than the masculine, almost flippant façade he always presented. Yet she kept completely still, letting him touch and turn her wrists over to get at the deeper gashes.

She remembered the way he had kissed her at the party, how she wondered what could have possessed him to do such a thing. And their constant bantering, it was so combative at first then somehow it became almost playful… almost flirtatious. Miri wanted to tell herself that she hated him, that she couldn't stand his arrogance, his indifferent manner. But she couldn't deny that she now saw another man than the one she had met a day ago in the bar. Behind those dark eyes, Miri knew he felt more than she would ever know- more than he would ever tell her.

After Tiago was finished cleaning both of her wrists, he set the bloody washcloth on the open lid of the first aid kit and took out the roll of gauze. Undoing the metal fastening that held it together, he carefully began to wrap her wrists. Once Tiago was finished he let his hands linger on hers before letting go.

"Thank you," she told him, her eyes meeting his for the first time in what felt like hours. It was perhaps the first sincere thank you she had given him and the look on her face showed that she knew it too.

"You are welcome," Tiago replied, as he began to pack up the first aid kit. The sudden warmth between them had become palpable. His ice queen seemed to have brushed off a bit of her frost, he observed.

"M is not going to be pleased about Armand," Miri said softly, watching him as he worked. "You didn't have to kill him."

"Yes I did," Tiago replied firmly, now looking into her eyes. His dark gaze was unwavering and Miri's heart rate quickened as she questioningly searched their shadowy depths.

"Why?" She asked quietly, needing to know why it meant so much to him.

Tiago pursed his lips, breaking eye contact with her to look at her injuries. He took them in before gently tracing over the bruises on her neck, his fingers weary of touching the sensitive flesh. After a moment of suspended silence, he finally spoke.

"Because of what he did to you," he told her.

"He would have done it to anybody," she replied.

"Yes, but you are not just anybody, Miri. Perhaps to a stranger on the street… but you are somebody to me. He had no right to try and take you away," he told her, his deep eyes staring into hers. It was as if he were speaking simple logic or recalling a universal truth. When dark finally met light, Miri's breath caught in her throat as she realized what he was saying.

Suddenly breaking eye contact, Tiago stood up from his kneeling position, feeling that it was time for him to leave.

"Don't," Miri breathed, closely following him. Only inches away now, she could smell the familiar scent of his aftershave and feel the comforting warmth that she had begun to associate him with.

Tiago didn't move; uncertain that he had heard her she was so quiet. He then felt Miri's delicate hand on the side of his face, her touch warming him as she slowly ran her fingers into his long hair. Her stormy gaze was fixed on his, nervous but steady. Placing her other hand on his shoulder for support, she stood up on her toes and gently pressed her lips to his temple. She could feel the thrumming of his heart slightly quicken at her touch and she couldn't help a soft smile from forming at the corners of her mouth. Moving lower, her gentle breath dusting his tanned skin, she placed another kiss on his strong jaw, her lips molding to its hard curve. Finally she moved to kiss his lips, hers hovering just an inch below his, waiting to see what he would do.

Tiago slowly pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest with his large hands as he breeched the gap between them, passionately capturing her lips in his.

Miri wrapped her arms around his neck, not wanting to let him go as she buried her fingers in his hair. She could barely breath against him but she could have cared less because now they were no longer standing on opposite sides of the river; she had found Tiago and he had found her.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked between soft kisses.

"Yes, I'm sure," she told him, running her fingers across the smooth planes of his cheeks, "More than sure."

Tiago carefully unzipped her dress, his fingers trailing down the new skin that was revealed to him. He took her lower lip between his and gently sucked on it as he slowly pushed the straps of her gown off her shoulders. The top of her dress caught on the swell of her hips for a brief moment before falling to the floor in a pool of lace around her feet. Tiago looked down at her, quietly admiring her body- the perfection of its curve. Then he brought her into his protective arms once more and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

Miri breathed in his scent as her hands began unknotting his tie. She then made quick work of unbuttoning his dress shirt revealing the hard, tanned flesh underneath. She remembered how she had stolen glances at him as they dressed for Armand's party, how she had lied to herself about not having any attraction to him. But now that he was in front of her, laid bare like her, she eagerly slipped her hands underneath the expensive fabric of his shirt and savored the feel of him beneath her small palms.

Shrugging his shirt off, Tiago lifted Miri up in his arms and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips, clinging to him tightly. They kissed each other with increasing fervor as he walked over and laid her down on the soft bed. Pinning her between him and the sheets, Tiago brushed her hair from her face, taking in her beauty. He had sensed her urgency, but he wanted this moment to last.

"Look at me," he panted, wanting to see her eyes. Those striking grey orbs fell on his smoldering gaze and a grin tugged at his lips as he stared into them. Like London in the rain, he mused.

Miri couldn't help leaning up and kissing him then, her tongue slipping between his lips so she could taste him. She wanted to fold herself into him, to see how deep she could wander before being utterly consumed by his fire.

Breaking away, Tiago began to kiss down her throat, feeling her strong heartbeat against his lips. His hands came to rest on her hips, his fingers hooking into the sides of her black panties. Miri lifted her hips allowing him to slip off the little scrap of fabric and discard it on the floor. Not wasting a moment, he slipped his hand between her thighs, his long fingers burying themselves in her delicate heat. He grinned upon hearing the startled hitch in Miri's breathing as he pleasured her. She felt a hollowing in her lower abdomen as she stretched herself out on the bed for his consumption, wave after wave of fire rolling over body her as he stroked her.

Capturing a pink nipple between his thick lips he sucked till he had her mewing into the dimly lit room. He felt her curl her fingers into his hair, gently massaging and pulling at the roots of his long locks. He smiled against her heated flesh and moved lower until his head was between her thighs, his tongue buried within her folds. Miri gasped as he found her clit and began assaulting it with fierce determination. She cried out his name as he brought her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy, her body now burning white hot with pleasure.

Tiago felt her begin to buck against him, her body desperately craving some form of relief. Grabbing her hips, he pushed her lower half flat against the mattress forcing her to keep still and endure as he mercilessly pushed her towards the edge of completion. Miri gripped onto the comforter in one hand and her thigh with the other, feeling so desperately close. With a breathless cry, Miri's climax hit hard, wave after wave of pleasure crashing over her as Tiago continued to stroke her.

Feeling her relax beneath his hold, Tiago pulled away pleased with his work. He then began to kiss up her stomach, nuzzling the swell of her breasts as he allowed her time to recover.

Once Miri caught her breath, she wrapped her arms around him, fighting off the limpness she felt in her muscles. They were far from done, she thought as she brushed her fingers over the many scars that riddled his back. Tiago held back a shiver as she traced over each one, taking her time before her hands smoothed over his front. Reaching for his belt buckle she unhooked the clasp, her smoky eyes too focused on her task to notice him staring at her with a lust-filled fire.

She flicked open the button on his pants and pulled down the zipper, freeing him from their tight confines. Tiago let out a deep, constricted groan as she took him into her hands and began stroking his fully erect member. Miri languorously kissed his jawline, as she continued to pleasure him.

Parting her thighs, she brought him closer to her, positioning him at her opening. Tiago brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, seeing his desire mirrored in her eyes. Then, without a word he lifted Miri's hips and slowly buried himself inside of her. Miri gasped in relief as she felt his incredible length fill her to the hilt. He placed warm kisses across her collarbone, allowing her time to get used to him. However, her complacency was soon lost when he began to move within her. His passionate thrusts quickly reawakened her senses, teasing her towards ecstasy once more.

Tiago let out a low, clipped grunt as she began matching his thrusts with her hips. Molding his lips over hers, Tiago devoured each delicious moan he elicited from her. Once again, Miri could hardly think or breathe as she wrapped her legs around him, letting him take her with abandon.

Breaking away from her mouth, he buried his nose in her hair, his breath hot against the side of her face as he increased his speed. Miri gripped tightly onto his back on the verge of another orgasm. Tiago could feel her urgency, knowing that he was very close himself, and angled her hips so he could strike just the right spot inside of her. Miri let out a little cry, overwhelmed by the new sensations and dug her fingers deeper into his back.

Tiago slid a hand over her right breast lustfully kneading it as he pounded harder into her. After several more powerful thrusts, Miri buried her fingers in his hair, her thighs clenching around his hips as she was shaken to the core by her second climax.

Tiago followed soon after, fervently kissing her lips as his own pleasure consumed him. He came inside of her with a low groan, is lips hotly melded to hers. For the briefest of moments, he let go and lost himself inside of her. The feeling was utterly euphoric.

Rolling over, Tiago pulled Miri against his chest, holding her as they both basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking. They didn't need to say anything. They both knew what the other one was feeling as they panted together in time. After a while, the two made their way beneath the sheets, finding each other again and drifting off to sleep.

**AN: Wow super long chapter! Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I can't wait to hear from you. I really hope you like it and that it was worth the wait :)Also, because some of you have asked, this story will eventually have a Q/Miri pairing. It will get very interesting when Tiago comes back into the picture as Silva... things get a bit rough ;). Please review!**


	8. Tearing It Down

**Tearing It Down:**

Miri awoke the next morning to the gentle sound of the running shower coming from the bathroom. Reaching out to the nightstand, she turned to look at the clock. The face displayed 11:23am in red numbers. A small smile tugged at her lips as she realized that this was the first time she had slept peacefully with another person beside her. It was ironic really, seeing as that other person was a double-oh agent with a license to kill.

Miri gripped the sheets to her chest, not believing that she didn't feel a single shred of regret from sleeping with Tiago. Last night, unlike so many other experiences, felt right. For the first time, she didn't feel compelled to run from intimacy.

Lifting the white covers off of her, Miri padded over to the bathroom. She didn't bother to try and cover up her nakedness as she knocked on the open door to get Tiago's attention. He was in the shower, rinsing his hair.

"Hm?" he responded casually, brushing the water from his face as he looked over at her.

"May I join you?" she asked, leaning against the doorway. She had not considered that he might push her away until this moment and she hoped to God that he wouldn't. Her heart began to beat hard against her chest as she nervously awaited his answer.

"Come," he said with an indiscernible grin, beckoning her forwards.

For some reason, his answer did little to relieve her as she cautiously walked across the stone floor and stepped over the glass threshold into the spacious shower. The hot steam sent warm shivers throughout her body, taking the chill off the air.

Once she wet her hair through, Tiago reached out and softly took hold of her hips. Miri looked up at him with her stormy eyes as he gently drew her closer to him. They were large and glassy, reminding him of light rainfall on pavement after a heavy downpour. She was nervous, he could tell, and his heart bled a little to see what scars her past had left on her. He then drew her into the safety of his arms, holding her protectively against him.

Tiago felt Miri grip onto him as she buried the side of her face into his chest. He stroked her wet hair then, kissing the top of her head as he watched water droplets trail down the steamy glass of the shower.

They were both shadows, he thought, entities that lived in the very darkness that threatened them. Tiago knew that Miri could most likely neutralize any physical threat. But if someone came along who could make things more personal, get into her head and pull on the wires, she'd be vulnerable. He knew that even shadows had shadows and even though she hid it well, Miri's past had made her extremely sensitive to emotional triggers despite her usual show of apathy.

She was so unaware of how delicate she really was, he thought. Behind the thick wall she had built up over the years she was like a bone China teacup precariously balancing on the edge of a table. One nudge would send her over the edge, shattering into a million pieces. Perhaps this is why he felt the need to hold her so close, to protect her. But he also knew MI6 needed her as an operative. There were plenty of agents who had far worse problems than her and who hid it half as well, but for some reason he felt deeply for her. Tiago wanted her to have a chance at getting out of this life unscathed, though he knew that was practically impossible.

He looked down at her then as he felt her trace the firm sinews of his forearms. She could tell that he was thinking, most likely about something that he would never voice aloud. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she stood on her toes and kissed him softly, her lips molding to his.

Pulled from his thoughts, Tiago held her tighter as he responded to her kiss. Miri languorously slid her tongue over his bottom lip asking for entrance, which he immediately granted her. A small moan escaped her as he met her caresses with equal fervor.

Tiago slowly backed her against the wall. His lips moved over hers with a controlled hunger as he pressed her between himself and the tan stone. Miri shivered at the cold on her back and pulled his body flush against hers, craving his warmth.

"Miri, Miri…" he breathed, pulling away from her lips. He looked down at her with those dark eyes of his, hooded by thick lids, as he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. Miri closed her eyes in response, letting his hands wander over her.

She had blossomed since last night, Tiago observed. She was no longer the cold, reserved woman he had met two days ago. Miri had opened up to him and she still continued to give him access to her trust. He knew that he could not break it for anything and not just for her sake but for his as well.

Smoothing his large hand down her thigh, he hooked his fingers behind her knee and guided her leg up around his hip. Miri sighed in anticipation upon feeling his hardness press against her abdomen.

She ached to feel him inside of her again, to be consumed by his fire. His name fell from her heart-shaped lips in delicate whispers as she gently tugged locks of his wet hair. Fueled by her sensual voice, Tiago pressed a hot trail of kisses across her collarbone, his free hand caressing one of her breasts. He then lifted her up in his arms, Miri wrapping her legs around him as he held her between him and the wall. She gripped onto his back tightly, pressing her lips to his in ardent passion.

Lifting her hips up for the briefest of moments, Tiago slid inside of her. Miri let out a small cry of pleasure as he filled her completely, her head tipping backwards, exposing her sensitive neck for him to kiss.

As he trailed his lips over her soft flesh, he couldn't help but think of what it might be like to have a relationship with her outside of this hotel room- to continue this affair. MI6 would never approve of it, but he figured they didn't have to know. He had covered up far worse things from them. Still, the thought of them finding out made Tiago smile mischievously against her tawny skin. Aroused by this new thought, he began to move deep within her,

Soon, Miri was awash with the pleasurable ebb and flow of his thrusts, feeling each new sensation break over her like waves on a shore. The liquid fire that had begun to pool in her abdomen only grew hotter with each one of his strokes, making her urge him on.

"Tiago," she begged, her hips moving in rhythm with his.

Tiago quickened his pace, knowing that she needed him to. When she had called out his name, he found that he could not deny her.

Miri tightened around him with every stroke now, heightening his pleasure. Once again he felt that he was beginning to lose himself inside of her, burying himself within the passion of the moment.

Soon Miri let out a constricted cry as she gripped tightly onto him, her orgasm upon her. Tiago groaned deeply into her hair as he sent the both of them over the edge with several final determined thrusts. Tiago pressed Miri harder into the wall in order to support her as he was taken by his own climax. He could feel her body's shaking turn into trembles and then gentle twitches from the aftershock of her orgasm as he stopped moving within her.

Once they caught their breath, Miri began to disentangle her shaky legs from his hips as Tiago slowly lowered her back to the floor. She placed several light kisses on his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart beneath her lips. Turning around in his arms, Miri leaned back against him for a moment, closing her eyes as she let the hot water pour over her. Moments of such serenity were rare to them, making the indulgence in them all the more precious.

Tiago pressed a kiss to her wet hair, holding her safely to him. They would be endangering themselves again once they left the hotel room, but that would come later. For now they were just two lovers sharing in a calming moment.

After a minute, Miri began to wash her hair. Once they both were clean, Tiago turned off the taps and handed her a towel to dry off with.

"So, what is our next move?" She asked, toweling off her wet hair and reaching for one of the complementary robes hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

Tiago wrapped a towel around himself and stepped out of the shower. "It would appear that Armand has already made a prototype for the drone. Unfortunately it's not in North Korea. It's in China."

"Where in China, certainly not Hong Kong?" She asked, surprised that Armand would even think to swim so close to British waters.

Tiago pursed his lips and shook his head, "No, we could not get so lucky. He set up shop in a rural area in the North. The prototype is finished and he was supposed to deliver it to the buyer today. Clearly he will not be doing that, not after last night."

"Indeed…" She murmured, her eyes fixed on the floor. She knew killing Armand would some how come back to bite them- unfortunately it came sooner than she had thought. "What are they most likely to do then?"

Tiago placed his hands against the counter and looked into the mirror before answering her. "They'll wait for a superior to give them further instructions," he said, his eyes now trained on her reflection. "However, once they get news of Armand's death, they will ship out the drone anyway."

"Right," Miri said, pulling off her towel and slipping on the robe. "The buyer will want to protect his cargo so I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't run into some members of the Brotherhood down there."

"Neither would I," he replied. "Which is why we must be prepared."

"Q branch?" She questioned, knowing that Hong Kong was inconveniently out of their way.

Tiago shook his head, "Not a viable option, my dear."

"Any ideas where we can get supplies?" She asked, tying the robe's sash around her waist. She certainly wasn't going anywhere without a proper change of clothes and a gun.

"I may have a few," he replied with an indiscernible smirk as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Resting his chin top her head he added, "But that would require the use some unconventional methods."

"Ah, will it?" Miri asked, turning around in his arms to face him. Once again he was met face to face with his little ice queen.

"Yes, I am afraid so," Tiago replied with a nod, his hands now resting on her hips.

"Am I going to disapprove?" She asked playfully, yet skeptical as to what he could be talking about.

"Most definitely," he chuckled before kissing her thoroughly, his hands slipping into her robe. Normally Miri would put an end to such foolishness, but she allowed Tiago to continue.

IMPORTANT AN: Thank you so much for all of your fantastic reviews! I would like to answer some good questions posed to me that more of you may have:

Q1. Is this a Q/OC as well?

A1. Yes, indeed it is, but mainly a Silva/OC. Miri has to make a choice between the two after discovering Tiago is not dead.

Q2: Will there be more Silva after Q enters the story?

A2: Oh yes indeed. That's where the fun begins. (I thought they'd make good intellectual rivals).

Thank you and please remember to leave me a review!


	9. The Trade

**The Trade:**

Later that morning, Tiago had gone down to the hotel's galleria and bought Miri and himself some civilian clothes. Having nothing presentable to walk through the lobby in, Miri stayed in the room hoping that Tiago would pick out something decent for her. Though they had an intimate meeting of the minds last evening, she knew that he was a scoundrel. She wouldn't put it past him to buy her something that wasn't questionably low-cut or short. Joking or no, he would be very sorry if he did.

Pacing the floor in her towel, Miri nearly jumped in anxious anticipation when she heard him reenter the room. She could see that Tiago had several bags in his hand as she helped him close the door behind him.

"How was your outing?" She asked, sounding a little more curious than she would have liked to.

"Very successful, thank you. This bag is breakfast," he told her, setting the carry away he had got from around the corner on the desk. He then placed the anther bag on the foot of the bed, "and that one is for you."

Tiago watched out of the corner of his eye as she pulled the outfit be bought her. It was a simple, unassuming ensemble consisting of a white button-up shirt and grey dress pants. Setting it out on the bed, she let out a happy sigh, which Tiago could help but laugh at.

"Relieved?" He asked, a crooked smile playing at his lips.

"Overwhelmingly," she replied, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling on the pants. They were nearly a perfect fit- good enough for their purpose anyways.

"You don't like giving other's control, do you?" He asked. The smile he wore was now ebbing away as he watched her pull off the tag on her shirt and button it up. She looked like the Miri he had first met in the bar of the Grand Hotel- corporate and iron-willed.

"I don't like having many uncontrollable variables in my life," she answered, combing her fingers through her slightly damp hair.

"Would you consider me one of those variables?" He asked, casting her a sidelong glance. Though his dark eyes held some measure of mirth in them, she could tell that he was serious.

"I'm not sure," She replied coyly- clearly in avoidance of the question. This conversation had the potential of becoming too serious and she figured she better nip it in the bud before the really got to talking on the subject. "What's for breakfast?"

"Baguette and vermicelli," Tiago said as he handed her a box of carry away. He then proceeded to get dressed himself. He knew he wasn't going to get anything more out of her at the moment, so he figured he'd let it lie.

Once they were ready, Miri arranged their flight into China while Tiago made contact with his people for supplies. He had connections in the black market in China. They would be able to get anything they needed from them: weapons, ammunition, and transportation… anything in exchange for several high security system hackings. The price was nothing major compared to the gain- or at least Tiago thought so. Though MI6 did not approve of such methods to see a mission through, Tiago saw the benefits in having friends in low places. Experience taught him that a mission's success usually hinged on whether or not the enemy of his enemy was his friend.

Once the tickets to Xi'an were booked and a meeting was set up, the two caught a taxi and headed for the airport.

….

When they landed in Xi'an, they rented a Jeep. Their aim was to head north into rural country. The region was absolutely stunning. The city itself was studded with ancient pagodas, colored in festive reds, yellows and greens. Amongst them lay modern buildings of glass and origami-like public art. The old did not clash with the new; it blended with it harmoniously.

The province area was like stepping into a silk painting of rolling green hills and plateaued farmlands. Miri watched out the window in silence, admiring the calming scenery. It seemed so out of place with what they were actually doing there.

Three hours later Tiago stopped the car about a mile away from what looked like an old military compound. Miri opened up the glove compartment and took out a pair of high-powered binoculars.

"Is this it?" She asked, looking over at Tiago who nodded in affirmation. Miri raised the binoculars and observed the old cluster of buildings. There looked to be a large stretch of concrete just beyond them. "What is this place?"

"It's an abandoned launch site for the Chinese space program. Their central hub is in Xi'an. Members from the Broken Circle gang moved in shortly after they relocated to their new facility."

Miri gave him an odd look and then returned to gazing through her binoculars at the rundown buildings. They stood, rusted and paint barren, as ruins of modernization. What was more, they were home to one of the most infamous gangs in China.

"How do we approach them without getting shot... what's their trade craft?" She asked, becoming uncertain about this particular venture. She knew they were hard pressed for time but as agents of MI6, they weren't even supposed to be operating in this part of the country let alone cavorting with the local criminals. The turnover was just around the corner and they did not need an international incident on their hands.

"There's a checkpoint at the east end of the facility. From there they will search us and escort us inside," Tiago informed her. It was clear from his calm manner that he had done this several times before.

Miri couldn't help but wonder if MI6 knew anything about it. Tiago never seemed to play by the rules, yet he did get results. Still, Miri couldn't imagine that's all MI6 wanted out of their double-oh's. There had to be some code of conduct, especially where M was concerned. Hong Kong was a bit like MI6's wild west- she wondered if he'd be reined in once the members of H Branch returned to London.

"So, keep your hands up and they won't blow your brains out… That sounds simple enough," she murmured as she zeroed in on a large, tent-covered area alongside the buildings. "I'd much appreciate if we didn't have to share your Walther in another gun battle."

"These people are businessmen," Tiago explained. "They only resort to violence when they are threatened."

"Tell that to the farmers in the outer provinces," she muttered, lowering her binoculars and setting them atop the dashboard.

It was a well-known fact that Broken Circle forced the local farmers to grow poppies on their lands for opium production. This arrangement of course was in exchange for protection from government inspectors, however the farmers rarely needed it in the first place.

"Not everything is black and white, my dear," Tiago answered as he put the car into drive. "Organized crime is a lot like nature, they both have intricate systems involving good and bad forces alike. If we throw the system into chaos, then we all suffer collateral damage," he said, his eyes fixed on the wet, dirt road before him. A group of men carrying machine guns walking up the road came into view. This was their escort.

"Don't worry Tiago, I don't intend to shake up the delicate system anytime in the near future," she retorted wryly.

"Keep your hands in view," Tiago told her as the men approached the car doors.

Miri raised her hands and waited for the guards to make the next move. They opened up the doors to the Jeep and Miri and Tiago stepped out onto the road. Then they were quickly patted down for weapons and wires. Once they confirmed the two were clean, they told them to return to their vehicle and drive into the compound.

"Like a well-oiled machine," Miri mused, running her fingers through her hair.

"There's a man I have to speak to before we can get what we came for," Tiago explained as they pulled up in front of one of the weatherworn buildings.

Miri nodded before getting out of the car. Tiago rounded the front of the vehicle and met her on the passenger's side. "These men know my face, they know who I am, but they do not know you. Stay close to me unless you're told to do otherwise."

Before she could reply the rusty-hinged door of the building closest to them swung open and a group of men walked out. At the front of them was a clean cut looking man with a slender build. Slipping on his sunglasses, the man approached Tiago and Miri. When he saw Tiago's face he smiled in recognition and reached out to shake his hand.

"Mr. Rodriguez, good to see you again," he said, his manner friendly and casual. Tiago shook the man's hand.

"I'm grateful you could see us on such sort notice. Mr. Lao, this is my partner Miranda Knight," Tiago introduced.

"Ms. Knight," he greeted her.

Miri offered the illegal arms dealer a smile as she took his hand- there was a crawling sensation in the pit of her stomach as she did. Men like him deserve to be laid out on a slab, not greeted like a host at a garden party she thought. The weapons this man sold went straight into the hand of child soldiers, he was a murderer. Regardless, she put on a good front knowing that she had little choice in the matter.

Tiago and Lao chatted for a while before getting to the point of this visit. Lao invited Miri to inspect his wears while he and Tiago went inside the building to conducted business.

One of the men led her over to the tent covered area where most of the stock was laid out on folding tables. Miri then busied herself for the next hour, deciding what she would like to take with her to face the Brotherhood.

….

Miri flipped open a butterfly knife and inspected the blade. Satisfied that the hinge wouldn't stick she tucked it away in her pocket.

Tiago came up behind her then and wrapped his arms around her. Resting his chin atop her head, he observed what weapons she was choosing.

"Knives… A very personal way of dispatching someone, don't you think?" He asked with a wide grin.

"You never know when you're going to be backed up into a corner. And with the way this mission has been going, I don't think I'd mind it getting a little bit personal."

"Oof, my dear," he laughed, delighted by this new side of her. "You are full of surprises."

"I have to keep your interest somehow," she replied smartly. "These friends of yours, that Mr. Lao, what is he willing to give us?" She asked, eyeing the makeshift table for what she wanted to take with her.

"Anything we can carry," he answered, his gaze drawn across the field to the building he came out of a minute ago.

He had hacked the Chinese government for intel before but every time he did it left a trail that could one day lead straight to him. This was always a worrisome fact that lingered in the back of his mind but he hoped that if he ever got found out he'd only get a good chewing out for it by M.

He knew his boss had a soft spot for him as cold and detached as she seemed. He got away with more protocol breeches than most in his outfit. Being a double-oh had its perks but being on M's good side was far more valuable. He only hoped that one day, when his indiscretions became too heavy to bear and the roof came crashing down on him, M would help dig him out of the rubble.

"Is everything alright?" Miri asked, snapping him out of his thought.

Tiago's far-off expression dissipated as he met her gaze. "Yes," he nodded with what appeared to be a smile- Miri couldn't quite tell.

The female agent reached out and stroked his arm lightly, her fingers curling around his hand in a light hold. "Okay," she said, figuring it was best not to push the matter.

She wasn't delusional, she knew that Tiago had to trade favors with these people in order to get what they needed for the mission. What worried her was if he had offered them too much. Miri knew sacrifices had to be made, that was simply the nature of the game but there was a fine line between negotiating favors and spilling government secrets.

Keeping quiet about the whole affair, Miri began filling a backpack with ammo and flash bangs. All the while thinking how, before this mission she wouldn't have even dreamed of altering procedure in such a reckless manner.

AN: Hello everyone! thank you so much for hanging in there! Please review! I love hearing from you guys and knowing what you think.


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